Dara Fahy: meet the man behind the mortgage rate
Ratehub.ca consolidates a myriad of mortgage rates in Canada sourced from major banks and mortgage brokers, but we are very selective with our partners. We select our brokers not only on the competitiveness of their rates, but the depth of their knowledge and quality of their service.
Dara Fahy, is a mortgage broker in British Columbia, that offers such all of the above. He guides our customers with assurance and ease, and regularly collaborates with Ratehub.ca as well. He’s bright, friendly, and he knows his mortgages!
Let’s get to know him a little better.
Name:Dara Fahy
Brokerage: The Mortgage Centre, BC
Q. When you take a break from helping clients, where can we find you?
A. On the golf course or taking long hikes with Sarah and our beagle, Bailey.
Q. What did you do before you were in the mortgage business? Any odd jobs?
A. Sold shoes and worked at KFC to pay the bills in my college days.
Q. Fill in the blank. ‘If I weren’t in the mortgage business _____.’
A. If I weren’t in the mortgage business, I’d be probably involved in sports in some way. I am a huge sports fanatic. Not much of an athlete so it would probably be on the business side.
Q. What’s your ‘mortgage motto’?
A. ‘How can we get you mortgage-free sooner?’ There are many strategies to do so: for example, getting the client the lowest rate possible and setting their payments as high as they can afford. Really, I want to see them achieve financial freedom as soon as possible (but still live comfortably along the way, of course).
Q. Your biggest mortgage success story. Have you been able to save a client $$ thousands?
A. Definitely, there are lots of opportunities to save clients thousands these days, given the decreasing rate environment we’ve been in. Anyone on a variable rate from 2008 to 2010 can benefit from a deeper rate discount now offered and the typical savings is huge. The same can be said for those in a fixed rate in some cases. I was recently able to save a client over $20,000 in just two years.
Q. What’s your personal mortgage product? If you are living with a partner, how did you decide? Was it a battle?
A. I am in a 5-year fixed rate and it was one of the hardest decisions my wife and I have ever made. I am a risk-taker and my wife Sarah is extremely conservative. We discussed this at great length but ultimately went with a fixed rate. It all comes down to risk tolerance and we all have enough stress in our lives as it is. The 5-year fixed was going to help Sarah sleep better at night so we went with that, as you can’t put a price on peace of mind!
Q. What’s the biggest mortgage you’ve ever closed? What did you do with the commission?
A. $3.5 Million and I’m working on it right now. If I am able to fund it next week, I promised my wife a weekend away, probably at the spa to relieve some stress.
Q. What’s your favourite thing about Ratehub.ca? How does Ratehub.ca help your business?
A. Ratehub.ca is such a great tool for borrowers to compare the best mortgage rates out there, all in one convenient place. The site is very easy to use and I find the clients that connect with me through Ratehub.ca are well-informed and clear on what they are looking for. They have access to our best rates available up front, so there is no haggling or bargaining and we can focus on other important details about the mortgage and their financial plan.